Katalea and her new mate set out to find the missing hidden prophecies. They soon discover four other supernatural strangers tasked with the same quest. All seek the prophecies for their own reasons, but they must come together as a team in order to succeed. From five absolutely different walks of life, these six must learn to trust each other. Will they reveal secrets about their past in order to protect their future? Will they be able to keep the prophecies from falling into the hands of the one who would like to see them all fail, and become extinct? This story has it all, wealth and romance, travel and extravagance, and deep and dirty little secrets that could destroy them all.
"The journey is the treasure." Lloyd Alexander
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"The true secret in being a hero lies in knowing the order of things. Things must happen when it is time for them to happen. Quests may not simply be abandoned; prophecies may not be left to rot like unpicked fruit. The happy ending cannot come in the middle of the story." The Last Unicorn
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Just before dawn, before the light beat back the dark, before anything or anyone stirred, Katalea found herself in the place that she considered her sanctuary. Her terrace, all fixed and new, boasted new deck furniture in shades of sea green. She lounged alone for a few moments, enjoying the solitude. As she watched, the sky turned pink and pale over the horizon. The first gulls stirred and began their relentless search for food. Her stomach rumbled in unison to signal it was time for her to eat as well. Rather than messaging someone to bring up food, she set out for the kitchen to see what she could rustle up.
What she found was a beautifully set table, complete with candles. A smiling Dakari, apron still tied around his day clothes, offered her a champagne flute filled with freshly squeezed orange juice. She smiled at him shyly, her stomach now experiencing raw nerves rather than hunger. She smelled her favorite breakfast foods, tuna and eggs, but she suddenly had no taste for them. Kaya, her panther, was fighting for control.
Fighting to control the situation Katalea spoke before Kaya could jump into Dakari's arms. "I am honored you would rise this early to share breakfast with me."
He blushed as he answered, "I am hoping to spend every breakfast with you from now on."
He went to her, arms outstretched, and she walked into his embrace. She felt her body purr as he rubbed his hand down her arm. He pulled back, gesturing towards the table.
"Shall we eat?" He said, his voice sounding somewhat like a low growl.
"When had Dakari gotten so sexy?" was the only thing she was thinking as he filled her plate. She looked up at him to thank him, but he only grinned. He sat, lowered his head as if in prayer, then dug into his own plate.
"Are you packed and ready for our adventure?" He asked between mouthfuls.
"Yes, Grandmother helped me last night." She looked down, clearly troubled.
"What is it Katalea? Are you worried about being away?" He questioned.
"No, not at all. It's just..." she paused. Kaya was inside her head screaming for control.
"Would it be ok.." again she faltered. Kaya begged her to stop talking.
Dakari just looked at her. She tried again, "Maybe we could get separate rooms until, well, just until...." She finally stammered out. Kaya wailed in disgust.
Dakari chuckled, "Is that what you were worried about, little flower?" He said using the childhood nickname that he used to tease her with. Now the name rolled off his tongue and made her feel beautiful.
"I have already taken the liberty to book us into their "best friends" suite. Two master bedrooms that share a common living space. I booked the whole floor so the security team could have a place to rest close by."
"Of course you did." She sighed gratefully, smiling all the way to her eyes. How had she forgotten how thoughtful he was? She relaxed and enjoyed her breakfast.
After the breakfast feast, Katalea went up to check on Dalya. Dalya's room was being set up like a hospital room, with her body growing at an alarming rate. The doctor was on call to deliver the baby early, and the incubator would be ready. At the rate she was going, she would be lucky to make four months.
Dalya was still sleeping, and Katalea didn't want to wake her. Using a trick she had learned from Dakari she conjured a cattleya flower. This beautiful orchid is where her mother had picked her name. It looked so pretty lying by her new sister, Katalea conjured a dozen more and put them in a vase next to the bed. She made a mental note to call her mother and catch up, and left the room. She didn't notice the tear slide down Dalya's face.
By mid-morning, they had loaded up their gear and were ready to set out for the ferry. Grandfather had requested a private ferry crossing for them, well, as private as you could get with half a security team on board. The other half had gone ahead to the hotel to scout the area. Katalea was embarrassed by all the attention.
When the ferry moved into open water Katalea jumped out from Grandfather's secure sedan. Reminiscent about her first ferry ride and all the energy she had tried to suppress that day, she giggled and walked over to the railing. As the ferry soared over the water Katalea caught glimpses of something in the water. Every time she leaned over to get a closer look, it was gone. Dakari noticed her behavior and tilted his head in a questioning manner.
"I feel like I'm playing hide and seek with a toddler." She tried to explain to him the bright blue blur she kept seeing but he just laughed.
"It's probably a dolphin that has some of the fisherman's net stuck to him." He reasoned.
His rationale was solid, but Katalea felt like something was out there. Something had been trying to get her attention, she was sure of it. She kept a watch out but did not see it again. Her thoughts returned to the present as the ferry bumped its way into the dock.
People on the mainland stared at them as they tried to drive off the ferry. Katalea looked down as security people swarmed around their car and pushed onlookers away. "There wouldn't be a fuss if they didn't attract so much attention," she thought. Remembering her time in Utah, she shuddered and let the security detail do their job. No one seemed to notice the woman with the shock of bright blue hair bundled under a hat.
In a surprising move, Dakari asked the driver to head straight to the university. It was now Katalea's turn to look befuddled.
"That book is calling to me," he explained. "I feel like the closer I get the more intense the calling."
Katalea knew they were here for research. In her romantic heart she had put that all away. Pulling up to the breathtaking tree lined campus brought her back to reality. This was a working vacation. From what she remembered of Dakari, she might not see much of him once he got his teeth in this project.
"Better to join him than to be ignored." She thought sadly, and tried to refresh her memory on what they knew of the tattered book they had found.
Dakari turned to the security detail. "I want to be addressed as Professor Toma," he started. He filled them in on his cover story.
Katalea pulled her long hair into a chignon at the base of her neck to give her a more professional look. "I will be Professor Kundam." She winked at Dakari. Everyone chuckled as they heard his low growl of approval.
Before they could get to the proper department, a man dressed in ragged jeans and a black sweatshirt approached. "Professor Toma, could I get a word?"
Glances were shared all around. How did this man know their cover names? Curiosity got the better of Dakari and before the security detail could move him along Dakari reached out his hand.
"Sure, and you are?" He said, shaking hands.
"My name is Beecher, and I have information about the book you are here to open."
Dakari got a whiff of the man's scent. He had tried to conceal it with cologne but the distinct aroma of a canine came through. Could this man be a werewolf? Intrigued, but wary, Dakari released the man's hand and stepped back.
"How do you know of me, or what my business here today is?" Dakari said, sounding quite scholarly.
"I, too, seek the same prophecies as you. If we could discuss this in a more private setting?" The man gestured to a bench under a tall palm tree.
Dakari's mind was spinning. He didn't know that the leather bound book even contained anything close to a prophecy. How could this werewolf know so much? Dakari felt like an elementary school child trying to navigate high school math. He looked to Katalea for help. She was staring off in the distance at a woman with bright blue hair.
Katalea sent him a mental message. "Please don't think I'm crazy but that woman is a mermaid! I saw her while we were on the ferry. She says she has information for us. Dakari, she can talk to me inside my head!"
"I think it's time to find a more private place to talk, " Dakari said, loud enough for all to hear.
The smallest woman Katalea had ever seen approached the group. "My name is Zinnia, I have been sent by the University to offer you a private office. If you would follow me." She turned on one very high heel, and started toward the Literature Building.
This was way too coincidental. The hackles on her panther's neck rose as the woman strode away. She felt like they were being led into a trap. The woman wasn't a dragon for sure, she had caught no sulphuric odor. She smelled much like her name, open-faced flowers in a cheery garden. Katalea opened herself to the woman and read no evil intent.
She nodded to Dakari. Together they began to follow the little woman. The werewolf and the mermaid followed. By the look on their faces, it was obvious they knew each other. It was time to see what the hell was going on.
Katalea was born a werecat. There wasn’t a time when she could remember being just ‘human’. Now, as she grows and powers develop she discovers that all freedom isn’t free. There are those who would like to see her Pride extinguished. Will she be able to rise to the challenge and lead her people to freedom? Will she be able to accept the responsibilities of being the only royal alpha?
Blinded by unrequited love, Dayna's world shattered upon learning of Jon's engagement to another girl. Determined to focus on her happiness, she decided to move on. Returning to the workforce, Dayna witnessed her career soar. Soon, admirers flocked to her. Realizing his mistake, Jon wanted her back, but Dayna only responded with a cryptic smile. Following that, she posted online about Jon, the charming CEO, seeking a wealthy, attractive, and virtuous woman to marry. Making matters worse, his contact details were shared across several dating sites!
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
Pandora thought she would have a white picket fence and 2.5 kids with her high school sweetheart. That was until he stood her up on their date and she caught him cheating. Newly divorced Pandora goes to Vegas and lets her hair down. A wild night with a stranger results in her waking up with a terrible hangover. Moreover, she couldn't remember his name or what he looked like! Life after that should have been boring—apart from fighting off her ex-husband and putting the mistress in her place. Who could have known that one night of passion would lead to unexpected and lifelong consequences? Now, Pandora needed to search for the baby of her father. But what is she to do when she is attracted to her doctor? Will she forget about the mystery man who made her laugh or will she start anew with this handsome and polite doctor? Will the demons of her past allow her a happily ever after?
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
After a devastating divorce with the man she had been married to for over three years, Rachel thought her life was over. Her family disowned her, they wanted nothing to do with her anymore and she couldn't blame them. She had just divorced David Hart, one of the top successful bachelors in the country and heir to the Hart industries. But they would never understand that she didn't divorce him, he divorced her after she caught him cheating on her with her god-damned best friend! Rachel was just about to end everything by jumping off a bridge when she was saved by the most unexpected person. The boy she once bullied severally in highschool because he always wore ugly glass and was from a poor background, how come that glass make him so hot now? Why was he helping her get revenge on ex-husband who is trying to make her life even more miserable? And most important how did he get so handsome? What exactly does he want from her? ... No, you must want something, anything. If you can really help me get revenge on David and Lana, I can't just let you do it for free". Ethan went quiet for a while. I held my breath waiting for what his request might be. If it was something money could buy, I'll try my best to get it for him even though I was somehow broke right now. "You're right I do want something". He said after thinking for few minutes "What?" I asked slowly. " Until you get your revenge on David, Lana and every other person you want, you will live here". Live here as in...? " Wha... What are you saying? ". I stammered hoping he wasn't saying what I thought he was saying. I tried to step back but I missed a step and almost fell on the bed but Ethan caught me holding me in his muscular arms. Ethan moved his face closer to mine be was so close, our nose almost touched. " I want you to be with me! ".
Broken, damaged beyond repair; that's how Katherine Isobelle would describe her marriage with Nikolai. She shouldn't have married a man who was still in the process of moving on from his first love. What's done is done. The wife returns with the divorce papers, ready to walk away from that chapter of her life, but as soon as Nikolai discovers their child's existence, he is prepared to step up and stop her from leaving.